Search

Once considered (by me) to be only a special treat for extended hospital stays, Jello turns out to be the staple dessert in México. Planning a party in which Mexicans will be invited? Your boss is coming for dinner? Someone getting married? There is only one dish that must always be present if you want to impress your Northern Latino visitors: Gelatin & Gelatin-based products.

Mexicans are so fond of Jello and the like that in Mexico one may find Gelatinerías (Jello stores) in nearly every city. Want something more fancy? Add fruit. Looking for sophistication? Pour a bit of Rompope on top. Creativity is called for? Think colorful layers. There is no end to the possibilities when gelatin is involved. Where United Statesians & Canadians may serve ice cream with each slice of cake, Mexicans serve….guess what?! Jello!

If you are watching your sugar intake due to your Diabetesor Gastritis (approximately 5 out of 5 Mexicans suffers from one or both at the same time during their lifetime), then you may want to substitute barbacoa (sheep cooked in a pit covered in Agave leaves), menudo (cow stomach lining stew), or carnitas (deep fried pork parts served with corn tortillas) in place of your delicious gelatina. All three are Mexican favorites and have more or less the same consistency as Jello.
Happy fiestas!

Mexican alternatives to gelatina that achieve the same effect in the mouth:

Barbacoa(sheep cooked under the Agave cactus in a pit) All Mexican mouths are watering at the sight of this image. 🙂

What is the one beverage Mexicans prefer over tequila and agua de sabor? La Coca! It may as well be considered the 5th food group here in Mexico. In some, if not most, of my Mexican friends’ homes, if the garrafón of purified water and the Coca run out at the same time, the garrafón can wait. The Coca, however, is replaced immediately at the nearest tiendita (little store located in one’s garage or entry hall). Most family comidas (the most important meal of the Mexican day) are not complete without a bottle or five of Coca on the table. Coca is fed to the elderly, to babies in bottles, and to everyone else in between as a staple in the beverage diet. When a señora or a niño asks you for money or a stranger does you a good deed, like helping you change your tire in the street, the standard request is “Dame para una Coca, nomás.” Enough to buy a Coke is all I ask.

“According to Coke’s 2005 annual report, Mexicans lead the world by drinking some 533 8-ounce servings of Coke beverages per capita annually.”

Well, isn’t the Coca-Cola empire delighted, then, that Mexicans are drinking less water and more Coke? No! Either one is just fine with Coca-Cola! That’s because Coca-Cola owns Agua Ciel, the nationwide door-to-door provider of purified drinking water and mineral water. So is the love of juice a problem for Coca-Cola? Of course not! Coke also owns Jugos Del Valle, Nestea, and Powerade! As one student in class said, “I wondered why the government of Mexico has not filtered its public water supply, seeing that it is relatively simple and affordable. Then I heard the cry in the street advertising door-to-door service for Agua Santorini, and it hit me. I wonder what Coca-Cola and Pepsi pay the Mexican government to maintain the pollution in all public water sources?” Bingo.

“The United Church of Christ, United Church of Canada, National Council of Churches, National Coalition of American Nuns, and Presbyterians for Restoring Creation are among some of the religious organizations that have raised questions about whether or not the “privatization” of water is ethical. They regard the industrial purchase and repackaging at a much higher resale price of a basic resource as an unethical trend.[27]
The recent documentary Tapped argues against the bottled water industry, asserting that tap water is healthier, more environmentally sustainable, and more ecologically sound than bottled water. The film focuses on the bottled water industry in the United States. The film has received largely positive reviews, and has spawned college campus groups such as Beyond the Bottle.”

Problems with BPA found in the plastic that houses purified water (Wikipedia):
“The Beverage Marketing Corporation defines the bottled water market segment as “retail PET, retail bulk, home and office delivery, vending, domestic sparkling and imports”, but excluding “flavored and enhanced water.”[28] The Plastics Symbol no. 7 is a recent concern worldwide on discovery that large numbers of no.7 plastics are made with Polycarbonate plastic which, experimentally were found to leach bisphenol A. This chemical is a known hormonal disruptor causing miscarriages and birth defects, according to a study conducted by Case Western Reserve scientists. “Synthetic xenoestrogens,” one of which is Bisphenol A or BPA “are linked to breast cancer and uterine cancer in women, decreased testosterone levels in men, and are particularly devastating to babies and young children. BPA has even been linked to insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes.” Responsible baby bottle industries are producing BPA-free bottles that are clearly marked.

Reverse osmosis water purification systems can remove up to 90% or more of certain inorganic chemicals. These inorganic chemicals include: fluoride, sulfate, nitrate, iron, copper, lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, silver and zinc. Reverse osmosis can even remove some microbiological contaminants, including Giardia cysts. However unless equipped with an activated charcoal post-filter, reverse osmosis by itself does not remove dissolved gases and organic chemicals such as radon and trihalomethanes,<http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/water/az9419.pdf>.

The U.S. is the largest consumer market for bottled water in the world, followed by Mexico, China, and Brazil.[41] In 2008, U.S. bottled water sales topped 8.6 billion US gallons (33,000,000 m3) for 28.9% of the U.S. liquid beverage market, exceeding sales of all other beverages except carbonated soft drinks, they are followed by fruit juices, and sports drinks.[28] Americans drink 21 US gallons (79 L) of bottled water per capita per year.[42]“

Mexicans, like Italians, are known for being very passionate about food, among other things. While Italian food is rich and creamy, Mexican food is known for its vibrant flavors exploding in your mouth. Two signature sabores that complement a great deal of Mexican cuisine are: the tangy lime combined with the spicy chile. After all, who doesn’t want chile y limón on their potato chips and popcorn?

Dishes & Drinks

Some common Mexican dishes and drinks that regularly receive a generous squeeze of lime and a healthy shaking or squirt of chile are as follows:

Featured Posts: México

The Mexican ponytail is a critical component in every Mexican girl’s life from the breast to the grave. It consists of brushing wet hair back, applying a handful of gel (see: “Stuff Mexicans Like #19: El Gel”), pulling the hair as taut as humanly possible, and twisting an elastic hair band around the tail, leaving […]

Once considered (by me) to be only a special treat for extended hospital stays, Jello turns out to be the staple dessert in México. Planning a party in which Mexicans will be invited? Your boss is coming for dinner? Someone getting married? There is only one dish that must always be present if you […]

A man’s manliness can be measured by three key factors: the number of children he bears; the amount of amantes (lovers) he maintains; and the quantity of hair gel he uses. All three are imperative. Let’s see how our 2012 Mexican presidential candidates stack up. One candidate uses no gel (pronounced hail), clearly a bad choice for the future of the republic. This […]

There are certain unfallible truths that all Mexicans hold to be self-evident: La Virgen de Guadalupe is everything. Family always comes first. Everything is better with limon and chile. Futbol (soccer) is the only real sport. Seat belts are overrated. Real men drink Tecate beer. While Corona maintains a cult-following in the states as well as among those […]

In many societies, the thinner the woman, the more attractive one considers her to be. (Just watch the latest Victoria’s Secret fashion show to get a glimpse of what the USA considers feminine and sexy these days.) Here’s a lil hint: 32-24-32. As for Mexico, turn on your television between the hours of 8am and 11pm tuned into […]